Of Missions and Lies
by Quintessential Dreams
Summary: The torture scene that we do not see in DH; Bellamort; done for Inkfire.


**Malfoy Manor**

Disclaimer: I in no way, shape, or form own Harry Potter.

**Author's Notes: This is the story dedicated to Inkfire for winning my "Ten" Competition at HPFC. She wanted to see 1) the torturing that we didn't see in DH at Malfoy Manor as well as 2) some Bellamort. I don't think I did too well on the second part, but I think the first part is okay. I just hope I got up to her expectations. This is unbeta'd. Also; don't forget to check out a very grand writer; My Dear Professor McGonagall.**

With fearful eyes, Hermione watched as Harry, Ron, Dean, and Griphook left her alone with Lestrange. She watched the cellar door slammed shut and that was when Bellatrix threw the first curse. Hermione's body jumped in pain as she let a horrid scream rip through her lungs. She fell to her knees as she doubled over in pain.

She could hear the faint cries of Ron yelling her name and her eyes fell shut. Her eyes watered as the curse was lifted and her chest heaved as it tried to relax for the time being. It was quiet. Much too quiet for Hermione's likes and she peeked through the slit of one closed eye. Bellatrix was looking right at her.

"What do you know of this sword?" She asked, her cold voice taking on a sickly sweet demeanour.

"Nothing," Hermione bit out. "I don't know anything of the sword." Infuriated by the supposed false response, Bellatrix shot another curse at Hermione causing her to let out another anguished cry. The curse faded as Bellatrix grabbed Hermione by the hair again as she screamed at her.

"TELL ME!" Lestrange shouted at her. "WHERE DID YOU GET THIS SWORD?" Hermione shook her head and Bellatrix threw her at the ground again. She placed the edge of the sword to hold Hermione's head up to look into the wild eyes of Bellatrix. "I'm going to ask you again! Where did you get this sword? Where?"

"We found it…" Hermione choked out, carefully trying not to get cut on the edge of the sword. "We found it – PLEASE!" Bellatrix quickly removed the sword from under Hermione's chin causing it to leave a nasty cut on her neck. Hermione howled in pain. Her hands went to her neck and brought them back in relief that the cut hadn't been as bad as it had felt.

"You're lying, filthy Mudblood, and I know it! You have been inside my vault at Gringotts! Tell the truth, tell the truth!" Hermione stayed quite for longer than she wanted and threw another curse her way.

Hermione's body was growing weak and she tried to fight the curse off of her. She tried to keep her mind straight and level-headed which she found rather difficult at that moment and found herself giving into Bellatrix's harsh cackling and cried out, the scream bouncing off of the walls.

"What else did you take? What else have you got? Tell me the truth or, I swear, I shall run you through with this knife!" Hermione was beginning to lose consciousness. The pain was terrible and she couldn't bear it anymore. All she wished now was that Lestrange would kill her.

Instead, the torture continued. The torment was becoming more and more direct as Bellatrix pulled at Hermione's hair to keep her upright only to have a fist pushed into her face. Never had it occurred to Hermione that Bellatrix would use the means of her fists to get the information out of Hermione.

"What else did you take, what else? ANSWER ME! CRUCIO!"

Hermione let a whole new round of screams break free as the curse attacked her body. She doubled over in pain as she screamed. In her head, she could have sworn, she heard Ron calling her name, but it sounded too far away, too drowned out by her own screams and hollers. The tears broke free and ran down her cheeks. Her hands grabbed at the air as she searched for a means of stopping the curse. But Lestrange didn't stop it. Instead, she continued to interrogate Hermione.

"How did you get into my vault?" Bellatrix screamed in her face. "Did that dirty little goblin in the cellar help you?"

We only met him tonight!" Hermione found her voice through all the pain. She sobbed as she tried to continue. Everything hurt from her arms to her legs, from her heaving chest to her throat. Her lungs and heart had to of been working double time to keep up with the curse. "Please, stop it." She murmured softly. She had told herself that she wouldn't beg, but the pain; it wouldn't stop. "We've never been inside your vault…" Hermione continued. "It isn't the real sword! It's a copy!" At that point, Bellatrix ended the curse and Hermione mumbled again; "just a copy." She wasn't sure what had made her say it was a copy. All she knew was that she had to keep her friends safe; she had to keep Harry and Ron safe and if they knew it was the real sword of Godric Gryffindor, and then they were all doomed.

"A copy?" Bellatrix sounded bewildered. "Oh, a likely story!" Hermione tried to keep her mind off of her numbing body. Everything hurt. She could barely keep her eyes open as she listened to Lucius talk with Bellatrix. She had completely forgotten that the Malfoys were even there.

"But we can find out easily!" She heard Mr. Malfoy speak to his sister-in-law. He must have turned to his son because then, Hermione heard him say; "Draco, fetch the goblin, he can tell us whether the sword is real or not!"

She almost wanted to cry out tell Malfoy not to get him. Her lie would come out in the open for what it was; a lie. Instead, Hermione stayed quiet, fearing that she put not only her life, but the lives of Griphook, her best friends, and any other prisoners that were here in jeopardy too.

They waited merely minutes as Malfoy came back with Griphook. Hermione could swear she saw the hint of a smirk on his wrinkled features, but she reasoned with herself that he was only doing the job that Lestrange would assign him to; authenticating Godric Gryffindor's sword.

"You, Goblin," screeched Bellatrix. "Get over here." Griphook moved closer to the raving mad woman and stared at her. She gave took the sword and handed it to the Goblin. "Tell me if this is the real sword or if it is a fake like the Mudblood says."

Hermione watched silently as Griphook looked from the sword, to Bellatrix, and finally to Hermione before he looked back at the sword. He opened his mouth to say something, but a loud cracking sound raised Lucius's attention. "What was that?" He shouted. "Did you hear that?" He looked towards Bellatrix and then to his wife and son. "What was that noise in the cellar?"

Hermione's heart began to race once again.

"Draco – no, call Wormtail! Make him go and check!"

Hermione lifted her head for only a moment to see the back of Draco Malfoy leaving the room for a few minutes. When he came back, Lucius seemed content that there had been no other sounds and let Wormtail descend into the cellar. Again, the people and Goblin upstairs waited to head something come from the basement and when nothing sounded, Lucius called to Pettigrew.

"What is it, Wormtail?"

"Nothing," came a wheezy voice from below. "All's fine!" The ones upstairs left it to that and Bellatrix turned her attention back to the task at hand.

"Tell me, Goblin. Is it real or fake?"

That was the last thing Hermione heard before everything went completely black. Her body couldn't keep up with the pain she had endured and needed to rest.

xxx

Later that evening found Bellatrix standing in front of her Lord. "You let them escape, Bellatrix." He told her. He wasn't happy with her. She had let harm come to her nephew and let Harry Potter get away with his little friends. "You told me you had captured them and when I came, they. Were. GONE!" He stood up from the chair as he advanced on Bellatrix. "GONE!" Voldemort bellowed again. He watched in appreciation when she took a step back, her head held down in shame. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"I apologize, my Lord. We had them. But that stupid House-Elf came and got them." Bella got down on her knees.

"Yes, yes…" Voldemort started, walking to a window. "Lucius told me what happened. The elf that was supposed to be his turned on him."

"It said it was free, my Lord." Bella told him, her head still bowed in disgrace. "What can I do to right it, Master?" Her head poked upwards for just a moment before she brought it back down. Voldemort's ire had begun to dissolve, if only slightly.

"Come here, Bella." He told her. She quickly got to her feet from where she was kneeling and moved to her Master. "I want you to get me Potter, Bella." He placed a hand on her shoulder. He didn't dismiss the slight movement form Bellatrix as she jumped. "Find him and bring him to me. Rid of anyone who tries to get in your way, but get me Potter. Do you understand, Bella?" Bellatrix nodded her affirmation on trying to get her hands on Potter. She wasn't sure how she would get to him, but if she failed, she knew she would fail her Master; her Lord; her lover.


End file.
